Being a mother is not easy. Sometimes, it might feel like you are trudging through a battlefield. Then there are times when your child wants to cuddle on your lap, or your teenager randomly hugs you and tells you they love you. (Shocking, I know.) When they are adults, you get to enjoy the friendships that you develop. I have created a friendship with my mother; I love going to her house to crochet or hang out. My mom and I dressed up for a mother-daughter tea at church in this picture.
I want to share some quotes that I found about mothers with you. I thought it portrayed motherhood.
"Being a mother is not about what you gave up having a child, but what you gained from having one." by Sunny Gupta.
"Being a mom isn't a job, hobby, or task. It is a calling. A calling to love well, a calling to instruct hearts, a calling to be present, and a calling to give them Jesus." Unknown Author
"Being a mother is learning about the strength you didn't know you had and dealing with fear you didn't know existed." Unknown Author
This is my favorite. "Being a mom means kids banging on the door like SWAT asking for a drink while you are in the shower and Dad is in the kitchen." Unknown Author
Being a mother was something I had to learn to enjoy. In the beginning, it was enjoyable for me. Then, it was a lot of work and not so much fun. I always thought of myself as "just a stay-at-home mom." Someone at my high school reunion asked me what I had been doing since high school. I told them I was a stay-at-home mom. The response, "Oh," was very disheartening and discouraged me even more. I began thinking I should be doing something so much bigger than being a mother. Boy, was this wrong thinking.
My church began a women's bible study group we call Patterned After Christ (PAC). We went through a book called True Woman 101: Divine Design by Mary A. Kassian and Nancy Leigh DeMoss. This study encompassed all aspects of a woman's life. It taught me what the Bible said about mothers and why it is a meaningful title. In the book, it explains how vital the role of the mother is in the home. How would this look in our homes?
It is crucial that we are in the Word consistently. 2 Timothy 1:5 says, "I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois, and your mother Eunice, and now I am sure dwells in you as well." In these verses, Timothy's mother and grandmother's faith can be seen in his character. Our relationship with God refines us in many ways as mothers -- the fruit of the spirit is a significant part. Our children will notice these fruits in our lives, and this will cause us to be godly examples.
We need to be careful of our words and conduct. Children will copy what they see you doing. A prime example is Rebekkah in Genesis 27:5-46. Even though Isaac was wrong in giving the blessing to Esau, Rebekkah was wrong in having Jacob lie to his father to get the blessing. This caused strife and hatred between the brothers, who may not have been there without the deceit. Siblings will inevitably fight, but we need not complicate it more. We have all heard the saying two wrongs do not make a right.
It is essential to teach our children the word of God. It is vital to their salvation. Proverbs 1:8 Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching. Proverbs 6:20 My son, keep your father's commandments and forsake not your mother's teaching. We see three repeated words in these two verses. They are instruct, command, and teach. What do these words mean?
Instruct - a direction or order.
Teach - show or explain to someone how to do something.
Command - give an authoritative order.
Here, we see the father's and mother's roles are vastly different. As mothers, we are to teach our children. Even though the roles are different, they are meant to complement each other. We are told to do this together, so it is not just one person. Paul could see Timothy's mother and grandmother's faith in him through how he acted and carried himself. This is how we know our faith, which is evident in our lives, can influence our children. Our children will learn and copy what we do and say on repeat.
How can we show our faith in action? The example that comes to mind is the Proverbs 31 woman. To me, she has always been an unattainable woman who we could never emulate. We must remember that we cannot do this perfectly, especially on our own. When praying, we must ask God to give us the strength to complete what he has for us to do daily. We must also ensure that we bring God glory through what we do and not ourselves. Through her example, we see that we need to teach our daughters how to be godly women and show our sons what to look for in their future wives.
Motherhood is a holy and high calling from God. It is not easy, but it is worth it. As mothers, we are responsible for teaching the next generations of God's image bearers. There are many resources from godly women on shared experiences or what they have learned about being a mother. Please look to those for encouragement, but remember, we have the best resource in God's word. We can
look to the bible for guidance and inspiration from women of the Bible on how to be a godly mother. We can also ask God in prayer for strength and wisdom on this journey of motherhood. Let us trust him, obey him, and glorify him in motherhood.
Comments